From my teens to my almost thirties, I felt as if I was weird and that something inside me was "broken". Everything around me seemed to portray sexual attraction as a "normal" thing, but it wasn't for me. So, discovering what asexuality was, was a real revelation. It helped me to know myself and somehow it pushed me to want to be me and not the image that others wanted to have of me. I think I would have liked to have had this kind of book available to me when I was a teenager. To understand myself better and to be better understood.

I found this book to be an interesting introduction to asexuality, but there are a few things I wish had been covered differently. First, I felt that describing asexuality as "not feeling sexual attraction" lacked nuance. This is why asexuality is described as a spectrum. I would have rather had them explain it as "feeling little to no sexual attraction." Second, I would have liked to see aromanticism discussed a little more in depth.

I do realise that this is a quick and easy guide, but while I think I could recommend this book to understand what asexuality is on the surface, I would recommend other resources at the same time. Ones that would help answer much more specific questions. Indeed, if I had only had access to this guide when I first started learning about asexuality, I probably wouldn't have felt as if I belonged to this spectrum when I now know that I do.

I give it a 3/5.

Thanks to NetGalley, Oni Press, Limerence Press, Molly Muldoon and Will Hernandez for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC of 'A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality'

I am ace and this book was just a nice warm comfort blanket for me. It understood me and explained asexuality in such a perfect way. I will be recommending this to all of my friends so that they can understand asexuality.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, the author focused on a topic that is very current with a novel take on it. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A really nice and breezy introduction to asexuality (and to a lesser extent aromanticism). I felt like the two authors (as graphic characters in the book) broke down the concepts and explained them well to an audience who may have little to no prior understanding of them. A quick read, but it still didn't feel like anything big was missing or needed more space. I appreciated the page at the stat which gave content warnings, and what they were going to cover and not cover for setting expectations. There's also a useful resources section on the back for suggested deeper reading.

An accessible enjoyable guide, that ends on a very joyful and encouraging tone.

A Quick and Easy Guide to Asexuality has a pretty self explanatory title, so I won’t spend too much time going over what it is about. But this is a graphic novel written by two people on the asexual spectrum, and covers many topics and questions that the average person might have.

As someone who is part of the queer community and fairly well versed in the different identities encompassed under that umbrella, I personally did not learn anything new from this graphic novel, but I can definitely see how it would be beneficial to those who are just learning. One thing that I did take away from reading this is how to better discuss asexuality with others. This could be a great resource for those who are unsure what language to use, metaphors, or how to describe certain aspects of asexuality in conversation.

I think the way they decided to write this really worked for the content; it is written in a very conversational tone, as though the authors are speaking directly to you and answering your questions. There are even characters who make several appearances throughout to ask the questions that the reader may be asking during that particular section. I thought that was a smart approach to take, as it utilized the graphic format to essentially break the fourth wall and speak directly to the reader. That combined with the simplified language and metaphors used made this a very accessible book for beginners to the topic. Someone who knows nothing about asexuality, or queerness in general for that matter, would be able to read this and understand perfectly what is being conveyed.

While this is not an incredibly in depth look at the many nuances of asexuality, and a bit repetitive at times, it is a fantastic place to start for those looking to learn. I had a great time reading this one, and it has made me want to read the other guides in this series!

The title says it all. It is a quick and easy read. The illustrations are simple and play really well with the story. The writers themselves being part of the community makes the information provided comfortable and welcoming. It is not played down but still accessible to a wide age range. I personally appreciated the trigger warning.

The only issue I have is with some of the text appearing cut off. It was not drastic enough to make it impossible to read. Others might feel different. It could possibly just be the pdf file.

I'm looking forward to being able to bring this into my library.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the electronic ARC of A Quick and Easy Guide to Asexuality.
Molly Muldoon and Will Hernandez co-created this short guide by intertwining their personal stories with the facts about asexuality to build rapport and teach their readers about it. I was genuinely surprised with the ease and flow of the guide that tackles such a seemingly complex lifestyle that barely gets recognition.
This guide covers what asexuality is, what it is not, and all things in between. If you grabbed this guide to have your questions answered and they didn't get fulfilled, they offer extra resources and reading material to continue your quest for answers.
The illustrations are charming and readable. The best kind of guide books aren't the ones where they bore you with information; they are the ones that help tell a story in a way that makes it enjoyable for the reader. This guide checked all the right boxes for me! I enjoyed this guide for what it was and would gladly recommend it to anyone open to learning more about asexuality. Thank you to Molly Muldoon and Will Hernandez for being vulnerable and sharing a piece of their story with us.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Limerence Press for this eARC of A Quick and Easy Guide to Asexuality. This is my third "Quick and Easy Guide" and I absolutely love this series. These books always offer digestable, easily accessible information about sexuality and gender orientation, and this guide to asexuality is no different. This guide covers definitions of asexuality, discusses the spectrum of asexual representations, addresses misconceptions and stereotypes, all while stressing the utmost need for empathy and understanding above all. I particularly appreciated the nuanced discussion that past sexual trauma does not cause asexuality and that, while become sex-averse can be a trauma response, trauma should never be equated with identity. Overall, a wonderful introduction to the topic of asexuality, especially for someone who was largely unfamiliar with several of these concepts. I just put a request in to my local library to rent ACE: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex. I can't wait to dive into this topic further, and I will be keeping this pdf on hand as a useful resource for my future work as an LGBTQIA+ affirming sex therapist.

[3.5] <b>Full disclosure:</b> I’m someone who flirts with the demisexual label, and I say flirts because I’ve never found labels necessary for me personally—I just feel what I feel, and if others can’t understand, that’s on them—but I recognize their purpose for others who choose to identity themselves that way.

What I really liked about this brief introduction to asexuality is that it’s educational but never clinical. The mix of explanations with personal anecdotes is very well done (such as the feeling of having to justify myself at doctor’s appointments in response to certain questions), and topped with the fun comic style, the content proved to be far more digestible than your standard Wikipedia wall of text. They also took the time to address some common misconceptions and stereotypes floating around in the media/general public, like “you’re just choosing not to have sex” or that all asexuals don’t have sex. This is where my absolute favorite metaphor comes in: <b><i>“If you can eat when you’re not hungry, then you can have sex without being sexually attracted to someone.”</i></b>

A bit of a lightbulb moment for me. Don’t mind me using this easy as cake explanation irl 😌🍰

But once again, it’s a wide spectrum, and it’s crucial to remember that some individuals don’t want sex at all and that’s okay too!

I’m not exactly as active in the community as I could be so I don’t know enough of the nitty-gritty to have a leg to stand on when it comes to the discussion of A in LGBTQIA+, but I do fear they might’ve alienated some members in their misguided effort to be more inclusive.

With these short guides, you’re bound to want more info and/or get nitpicky with the scope of definitions (ex. demisexuality was mentioned but more in terms of the author’s experience and seemed to only mention attraction, not necessarily sexual, but how I identify with the term is I don’t experience sexual attraction unless there’s already an emotional bond with the person in place. In other words, I can experience sexual attraction under the right circumstances), but I’d say this is a pretty decent jumping off point for beginners. I will surely be checking out the resources they provided at the end to learn more!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review</i> 🏳️‍🌈

To be clear, I am both asexual and aromantic and these are all of my honest opinions.

I would not recommend this to other aces, while it does some things well, I learned nothing new, and it only enraged me the more I read.

I also would not recommend this to allos (non-aces), since I believe it will do more harm than good by giving so many incorrect impressions of the asexual community.

But first, what did it do well?
• It acknowledges that people can be ace due to trauma;
• Action doesn't equal attraction, aces can and some do have sex;
• The split attraction model;
• The depiction of what it's like going through puberty as an asexual;
• Reassuring aces they're not broken; and
• *Finally* acknowledging that some aces do have some sexual attraction.

Now, what did it not do well?
• The entire vibe is defending aces to allos, not teaching allos about aces (yes, it does "teach" but that shouldn't come bc of having to defend asexuality);
• Defining asexuality as "not feeling sexual attraction" and as a "lack thereof" when the majority of aces prefer the definition as "experiencing little to no sexual attraction" and the majority of aces dislike the term "lack of" because it implies brokenness, which we are neither lacking nor broken;
• Pulling other queer minorities into it saying "if you're this or that identity I'm sure you get lots of weird questions, here's the weird questions we get as aces." Just leave the other people out of it instead of drawing attention to how they're mistreated;
• The implication that all ace people do want romantic relationships & families (I mostly dislike the focus on families here bc they do later discuss aromanticism and how not all aces want romance either);
• The entire cake analogy. Just explain asexuality in terms of sexual attraction, not making cake a metaphor for sex. Sex isn't anything to not talk about so stop making asexuality more "palatable" by taking the sex part out of the discussion;
• The line where one author refers to sex as a "regular human thing." Aces aren't any less "regular" than allos;
• The line where it says aces don't feel a part of the "cisgender heterosexual society" bc of being ace when gender literally has nothing to do with this;
• The suggestion for aces to just simply talk to a counselor... I have been lectured by one therapist who thought I needed to hear how sexuality is fluid and this is only a "phase" for me right now and have been told by another that everyone's interest in my dating life & desire to have or not have kids is "only bc they care about me" (yes, that's also aphobic); and
• THE DEBATE ON ASEXUALITY BEING PART OF THE LGBTQIAP+ COMMUNITY AND SAYING THAT THE A ALSO STANDS FOR ALLY.

We're gonna break that last part down a bit. If you're ace and don't identify with being queer, as is stated by one of the authors, that is VALID. But that doesn't mean the A doesn't stand for asexual. By saying there's no clear answer as to whether or not asexuality is a part of the queer community, you're only creating room for self-doubt for the already anxious asexuals who are questioning whether or not they're accepted. Nobody is required to identify as queer or part of the LGBTQIAP+ community just because their identity is an accepted part of the community, but to be clear, the A DOES stand for asexual, aromantic, and agender. Whether or not someone then identifies as queer is up to them. And also, the A DOES NOT stand for ally. Allies, while great, are not part of the queer community and do not have a letter to denote them in the acronym. Be a good ally by showing how you support us, don't let it be performative-based by being concerned about a letter.

To recap: I would not recommend this book. There are other great resources out there that do a great job of representing the asexual spectrum in a way that does not center around defending aces to allos and does not give false impressions. May I suggest checking out Upside Down by NR Walker, Loveless by Alice Oseman, Hazel's Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman, the How to Be duology by TJ Klune, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath, and Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand (to name a few of my favorite asexual (and aromantic) books) instead?

CWs: aphobia, harmful stereotypes, mentions of sexual violence, medical discrimination, depression, rejection, invalidation, cyberbullying

This was middle of the road for me. It did give some helpful information about asexuality but also seemed to re-enforce stereotypes and still prioritize the comfort of allosexual people. Sex was at the forefront of the discussion and that's sort of counterintuitive to me. Instead of defining asexuality as a lack (which in itself erases sex-positive ace people), define it as its own thing.
Cute illustrations and I love how the ace flag colours were subtle but signaling to LGBTQ+ readers.

A solid primer on the subject(s) of asexuality and all its addendums that sums things up in a straightforward and amply sympathetic manner, stepping up to stopgap the shortage of accessible material on the ace spectrum and those who stand under it. This swift-moving guide starts with the preliminaries and then moves on to tackling the substance of being an ace person in modern society, and the stereotypes, misunderstandings and muddled-up self-perceptions that accompany it. Some topics might've been plumped up a bit more by going beyond basic breakdowns, but the personal anecdotes were well-placed and plaited together to never seem not pertinent, and within the space it has available, A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality accomplishes its ambition of being a snappy and succinct starting point and then some.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for kindly passing on this ARC! 💫

Charming, funny, and very readable. This book broke down the elements of asexuality in a way that was approachable and easily digested by the average reader. As a demisexual reader, I greatly appreciate the existence of this book, and wish it had been around when I was in high school.

Thank you so much to Netgallery and Oni Press for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to start by saying that I am asexual, and would consider myself moderately active in the online asexual community. My opinions and review will reflect my own experiences as someone who identifies as both Ace and Queer.

This is a great book, something that I hope will end up in schools and library's. I could have used this book in high school (or even earlier, if I'm being honest with myself.)

Many of the current non fiction books on asexuality are presented in the form of either memiors or academic type texts. The asexual community badly needs an asessible, easy to read and engaging resource that can be read by young readers and adults alike. This will be a great resource for questioning or newly realized members of the Ace community.

This book gets a lot right. it gets most things right, albeit simplified and sometimes lacking nuance. The discussions of sterotypes, difficulties in dating, and lack of representation in the media were all on point.

Despite everything it got right, I feel there were a few missed opportunities. I would loved to have seen a bit about the history of asexuality, the flags (I know the flags are pictured but the meaning is never discussed)
In general more aspects of the asexual community, including signifiers like the ace ring. (A black ring worn on the middle finger of the right hand for ace, and a white ring on the middle finger of the left hand for aro)
Even though the book has the Aromantic flag on the cover it barely talks about it at all, only giving the definition to differentiate it from asexuality.

I also feel like in an effort to combat sterotypes/ the misconception that Ace's CANT or never have sex, as someone who is sex averse (for myself, I don't care what other people do) I feel like it kind of glossed over the fact that some Ace people never will have and never want to participate in partnered sexual activities. And that is also okay.
The Ace community is a wide spectrum, and I think it would have been nice to also include the perspective of someone on the more averse side of the spectrum, or someone who was Aroace as well.

I'm am very disappointed in the desicion to give a non answer to the question of whether asexuality is part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I understand that there are mixed opinions within the Ace community, but it's hard to read something for and by other Ace people that doesn't stick up for our place in LGBTQIA+ community. The A stands for Asexual, Aromantic, and Agender. It never has and never will stand for ally.

It's a fine line, and overall think this book did an awesome job of tackling the difficult task of summarizing such a complex group of identites.

Overall this is a unique and much needed resource for young readers, Ace and those questioning, or anyone wanting to learn about asexuality.

I hope to see more books like this and more representation and knowledge of asexuality in the future.

The last book about asexuality I read did not sit right with me because it seemed to equate asexuality with autism (the author has autism), and given the media representation of asexuality, it frustrated more than validated. This experience is what I came into reading A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality. I was beyond pleasantly surprised.

The authors tackled the subject exactly as the title indicated they would, quick and easy. The information was provided in as simple and easy-to-understand way as possible. I appreciated the insistence that asexual people might still choose to have sex, be in relationships, and build families, all while still being asexual. While my own experience didn't quite match the authors' experiences, it was familiar enough to be affirming in a way that I appreciated. I would recommend this for anyone trying to figure themselves out or trying to better understand someone in their life.

Oh how I love all these Quick & Guides! They're bright and colorful, informative, and accessible in the way they provide information. Wonderful educational resources, and their guide to asexuality is just as great as all the rest!

I love the quick & easy guide books! This is such a wonderful resource for anyone looking to learn more about asexuality. I appreciate how they demystify so many myths surrounding the ace spectrum. I love that a book like this exists that I can recommend to anyone who may need it (everyone).

A good resource on learning what asexual can and cannot be. Even as someone who identifies as asexual and demisexual, I've struggled with where I fall in the spectrum. And from one day to the next, I think I need to understand more. This guide really helped. At least to understand some of the differences. This would be good for anyone in the queer community, but also the cis community. It's a good basic understanding, and helps to clear up some of the "gray" areas.

An amazing graphic novel for anyone looking to understand more about asexuality and aromanticism. The book is also own voices !!

Gracias Netgalley por el envío de una copia avanzada a cambio de una reseña honesta.

Este libro explica con sencillez lo que es la asexualidad y sus diferencias con el aromanticismo. Es una guía perfecta para poder empatizar con quienes forman parte del colectivo LGBTQIA+.

Disfruté de la lectura porque aprendí mucho y las ilustraciones son muy bonitas.

Muy recomendado.